The Gift of Life

 

lovethispic.com 

I have come that they may have life, and they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 b (NKJV)

My best friend often reminds me that each day is a gift and even that life is also a gift. We often seem to have difficulties in our lives. However, God allows them to ultimately cause us to learn a lesson we need.

Another gift that God gives us is our very lives. I am reminded of the saying;

“God gives us each of us our life as a gift.

What we do with do with that life is our gift to Him.”

We may have had lofty ideas about what we wanted to do with our lives. God has His thoughts about what He sees as what He wants from us.

I remember one time when I was feeling pretty low about how my life was going. Someone my age in my stepfather’s family was doing some significant things with her husband, newsworthy items. My mother reminded me that I was raising a son with certain medical issues and I had nothing to be ashamed about. I had not thought of myself in that light.

God has brought our family of three through some very difficult times, all the while teaching me some very valuable things.

Prayer

Father God: Thank you for giving each of us the lives we have. Thank You for giving us the lessons You have given us in order that we may show Your love to others. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen

Abide

 

... then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

” Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you are free indeed.” John 8:31-33,36 (NKJV)

Words of Jesus

Jesus gives His disciples guidance for being free from sin and guilt.

If you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed.

The Lord states that His disciples must stand fast in what He teaches them and what He tells others about how to be free from sin.

And you shall know the truth

When we set out to discover God’s truth, we learn of Jesus and His ways and how to follow Him in our daily lives. We learn these things by studying the Bible, reading devotions, and by praying to God.

the truth shall set you free.

When we discover the truth of God, we should have no fears about circumstances that normally would affect our lives. We become free from worry and live at peace.

if the Son makes you free, you are free indeed

When Jesus makes us free from worry and guilt, we can experience a new-found state of freedom that no one can take away from us. Yes, I know, the enemy will try but as long as we take those issues to Jesus, we are still free.

Forgiveness Is Vital

 

focusmagazine.org

...when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Mark 11:25 (NIV)

Words of Jesus

Jesus shares a very basic thought with His disciples, the importance of forgiveness.

What this passage tells me is the importance of forgiveness. In order for God to be able to forgive us of our sins, we have to forgive those whom we believe have caused us hurt.

A young woman was sobbing as I went into the restroom after church service one Sunday. She shared with me why she was terribly upset. An older woman who served on a committee with her had said something that was very hurtful about a project that the younger woman had worked on. As far as I know, the issue was not handled correctly. The result, the younger woman and her companion and eventually her daughter and grandchildren left the church. Also, the older woman seems to attend services spasmodically. In essence, as I see it, this issue never got resolved in a Christlike manner.

I wonder: How many times in Christ’s kingdom has forgiveness not been practiced when it should have been.

I have written before that when we can’t extend forgiveness to another person, we can ask God to forgive him or her for us. I have had to do this. It helped me to get over some deep hurts and to function in my life.

From time to time, we need to examine our lives to see whether we need to extend to or ask forgiveness of someone. This is very important to who we profess to be in our Christian walk.

Pray Constantly

 

Pixabay.com

Love one another with brotherly affection.

Outdo one another in showing honor.

Do not be slothful in zeal,

be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation,

be constant in prayer.

Romans 12:10-12 (ESV)

Words of Paul

The Apostle Paul wrote these words to “ all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints….” (Romans 1:7)

As God’s children, we are to treat each other as if they were our brothers and sisters. He instructs us to do this because we are all God’s children.

Paul further tells us we are to “Outdo one another in showing honor.” When we choose to do something for someone, we should do it because we are led to. We are not supposed to expect something from him or her in return.

Paul tells us we are not to be ‘slothful in zeal,” by this he means that we are not to be slow in passion or enthusiasm.¹

He next tells us to “be fervent in Spirit”.

Being fervent simply means having great depth or feeling.²

He next tells us to “serve the Lord.” Simply stated, we are to work for the Lord, our God.

Now, some of us are unable to do what we used to do for God. For me, I am able to pray and send cards to those who are ill, have lost a loved one, or try to encourage those who seem to be down.

He tells us to “Rejoice in hope,” We are to take pleasure³ in hope and all the good things God allows us to experience.

He, then tells us to “be patient in tribulation,” This is one area of my life that I have struggled with for a long time.

It’s been in recent years that I have found myself to be calm during something that could cause a person much stress. (In the past, I could be a basket case when things got to tense.)

Paul then tells us to “be constant in prayer.” Sometimes, we have to mentally send up sentence prayers to God. At other times we can receive a phone call from someone who asks us to pray for them. We can pray for that need right then. We should always be ready to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as those who need to know Jesus.

_________

1,2,and 3 are taken from Merriam-Webster Dictionary. com Accessed 4/25/2023

A Gift of God’s Grace

 

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, and godly lives in this present age.

Titus 2:11-12 (NIV)

When we turn over our hearts and lives to Jesus, He gives us His Father’s grace to guide us through our lives. We receive salvation and so much more.

We receive the strength to stand against the worldly ungodliness that, from time to time, we have to face. Yes, as I read this scripture believers can say “No” to the worldly things.

The grace of God teaches us that we can manage in this world when we trust in the Holy Spirit to utilize self-control through Him and live lives pleasing to God before our neighbors and those we see where we do business.

I believe it is important that each follower of Jesus must strive to get closer to God and model our beliefs to those around us. However, I do not say this is easy to do. We have to rely on the Holy
Spirit to guide us through the roadblocks that life throws in our way.

Bear with one Another in Love

 

canyonville christian academy

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:1-3(NKJV)

Words of Paul written to Ephesian believers.

walk worthy of the calling

He encouraged them to live in a way that reflected God to others. He goes into detail as to how that would look. As we read those words, they can also apply to us who live in the 21^st Century.

with all lowliness and gentleness,

As believers in Christ, we must abandon all thought of ourselves as being better than others. We must also respond to each other with tenderness, no matter how others treat us.

bearing with one another in love,

Believers must accept those around us in love and be available for others as we can be. I sometimes find this difficult to do given the mindset of those in the world.

endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit

Paul’s purpose in his ministry was to introduce people to Jesus Christ and then to educate them in the ways of Christ. His goal was to unify those converted to the faith.

in the bond of peace.

Paul tells his readers, then and now that all we should do must have peace as its ultimate aim. I have had times when someone in the business world has been almost rude in response to a question I asked. In one instance, the woman could have explained their position better than she did.

Do you find it difficult to bear  certain people in your life?

He Rewards Faithfulness

 

But, without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

When we go before the LORD, we must believe He is who He says He is. The writer of Hebrews tell us without our believing in Him we cannot please Him. When we go before His throne, there are certain things we must believe:

* He will listen to our pleas.

       If our hearts are in tune with Him.

* He will answer our requests.

      In the way that is best for us and His plan.

* He will reward us for our efforts.

      His rewards may be a lightness of heart.

      He may give us new insight into a concern or a problem.

However, we must concentrate on Him while we seek His guidance.

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.“ Matthew 6:6 (NKJV)

Sometimes, we can follow Matthew 6:6 when we are in a crowd. Other times we can do obey this scripture by physically removing ourselves from the circumstance that needs our prayer.

We Must Forgive

 

Daily Verses,net

 

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another even as Christ forgave you, so you must all so do. Colossians 3:12-13 (NKJV)

 

The Apostle Paul conveys this message to the believers at Colossae. This is basically the same message he gives the Ephesian believers. However, he goes deeper with the meaning of being kind. He writes that we should “put on” these attributes as we dress ourselves for each day.

 

tender mercies

 

If we should have issues with someone, we must approach that issue carefully and speak with tender words. We don’t always realize how we come across when we just blurt out the issue that is on our hearts.

 

 kindness

 

Even when we have issues with another person, we should approach that person with kind words because we don’t know what they might be going through in their personal lives.

 

 humility

 

We should always remember that each of us is no better or no worse than other people. God made us all. He allows each of us to have experiences and circumstances that allow us to grow. We should learn to practice humility in all our interactions with others.

 

 meekness

 

As people of Christ, we should learn to take the gentle path when dealing with people. We must realize that we are imperfect beings.

 

 longsuffering

 

I love this word. It is an old English word that means “patience”. We must have patience in this world as we deal with others. I walk with a cane. It takes me a while to go from “point A” to “point B”. I appreciate those who cross my path when I am shopping and they either wait as I get past them or help me by holding a door open for me. With all the upheaval going on in our nation, we all could benefit from having some more patience.

 

 bearing with one another

 

Sometimes, we become aware of the need those who are hurting have. We can do this through praying for them and their need. Maybe we can do something more practical. Taking someone to the doctor or to the ER, going to the grocery store for them. Our church has a food pantry that is open twice a month. This is a ministry that has grown over the years.

 

 forgiving one another

 

To get beyond hurts, we have to forgive each other. Someone once asked me to forgive her but then said, “But, I didn’t do anything.” The only way I could forgive her was to ask God to do it for me.

 

Forgiveness from God wipes away the record that He has on us. When we ask forgiveness from another person, we attempt to clear the air between that person and ourselves. 

Patient in Tribulation

 

quiet spirit

 

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another, not lagging in diligence to one another, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer. Romans 12:10-12 (NJKV)

 

 Paul writes to the believers at Rome. He also speaks directly to me.

 

 Be kindly affectionate - Speak well to and of those around us. Let them know that we care.

 

with brotherly love Love those around us as we would a sibling or another family member.

 

 in honor giving preference to one another Put another’s wishes, if possible, ahead of yours.

 

 not lagging in diligence, We are to serve the Lord fervently. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,” (Colossians 3:23, NIV)

 

 Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord

We are to be aglow with enthusiasm for God. Some people say we should be “on fire” as we work for God and work for Him.

  

 rejoicing in hope responding to news and stimuli with our eyes toward Jesus as He works to fix whatever is wrong.

 

patient in tribulation We sometimes must wait on the Lord to act in harsh circumstances of our lives.

 

 continuing steadfastly on prayer We can never forget the power of prayer. God answers our pleas to Him by doing what is best for the circumstance.  

 

PLEASE NOTE: These thoughts are to help me as much as to help you.

Trusting in Him Yields Peace

 

bluestoblessings.com

 

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)

 

I find these words comforting. They convey the core message of our search for peace.

We will find peace when we keep our focus, our eyes, on God.

 

In this world, something always presents itself before us that tries to cause worry and heartache.

 

We have God who loves us and desires the best outcome for our lives. When we look to Him when we have those issues enter our lives, He is there to bring comfort to us.

 

One of the hymns, I learned as a young adult speaks clearly to me as I compose these thoughts.

 

 Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

O soul are you weary and troubled

No light in the darkness you see

There's light for a look at the Savior

And life more abundant and free

Chorus:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in his wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace

 

His word shall not fail you he promised

Believe him and all will be well

Then go to a world that is dying

His perfect salvation to tell

Chorus: *

 

 

Each of us must practice looking to Jesus for guidance, direction, and Peace

 

*Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus lyrics © Integrity Worship Music, Integrity's Hosanna! Music, Lead worship Songs, All Essential Music, Nth Degree Songs, New Spring Publishing Inc., Mercy/vineyard Publishing

Joy Being Shown

 

biblestudytools.com

Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4 (NKJV)

 

I have always loved the passage that these verses introduce.

 

if there is any consolation in Christ

From time-to-time believers face difficult times where only Jesus can guide us through the issue that causes the pain and heartache. No one is exempt from these events of life.

 

if any comfort of love

 

When we realize God’s love is guiding us and comforting us through difficult issues, we can relax and more clearly focus on what needs to be done.

 

if any fellowship of the Spirit,

 

When we spend time alone with God, with Jesus and with the Holy Spirit, we have perfect fellowship with God. These times can come at the beginning or the end of our days, possibly both. It is during these times that He speaks to us.

 

if any affection and mercy,

 

When we experience God’s presence in our lives, we receive love and even undeserved love. Sometimes, He gives us love when we are unlovely, that’s called mercy.

 

fulfill my joy by being like-minded,

 

Paul entreats his readers to not get angry when another person has ideas that are other than ours. It happens in families, among friends, and in the leadership of our nations. We have the responsibility to remember that the other person may have experiences that cause them to have those thoughts that differ from ours.

 

having the same love

 

Because we are followers of Jesus Christ, our focus should be that we love Him. This love should overcome differences we may have.

 

being of one accord, of one mind,

 

As children of God, we should have one goal in our hearts, to reflect Jesus as a way of expanding God’s kingdom.

 

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit,

 

I once heard someone quote Harry Truman.  “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. Think about that for a minute.

 

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others

 

In our world today, we feel a connection to people who live near us, to people who are friends, and people who help us with our purchases. When we hear of or see that they are in difficult circumstances, we should respond with kindness and gentleness, giving any help or encouragement we can.

Paul’s Description of Love

 

fineartamerica.com

 

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will cease, whether there are tongues, they will cease, whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1 Cor 13: 4-8 (NKJV)

 

Paul describes the highest attributes of love.

 

 love suffers long

 The King James Version says, ‘long suffering’, this translates to the modern phrase ‘is patient’.

 

 and is kind

When we show kindness to others, we show love to them. Our action may be very small, but it may mean the world to that other person.

 

 love does not envy

When we love as Jesus loves and another person receives something that is good, a loving response is for us to be happy for them.

 

 love does not parade itself, is not puffed up

When we love as Jesus loves we are not to call attention to ourselves or what we have done, especially when that something makes us look good in the eyes of others.

 

 does not behave rudely

When we truly love as Jesus loved will not do anything that another person would consider rude.

 

does not seek its own,

When we show the love of Jesus, we do not do things with selfish motives.

 

 is not provoked,

When we love like Christ, we can’t let another person ‘push buttons’ and cause him or her to get angry.

 

thinks no evil,

When we truly love with the love of Christ, we will not say bad things or wish them on those around us.

 

does not rejoice in iniquity,

 When we love as Christ loves, we will not be happy when anyone around us sins.

 

but rejoices in the truth, when we truly love as Jesus does, we are grateful for the truth that sets us and those around us free from their struggles and their sins.

 

 bears all things

When we love as Jesus loves, we learn to be strong and wait for His outcome to a circumstance.

 

believes all thing

When we love as Jesus loves, we believe all the good things we know about others.

 endures all things.

 

Because of Jesus’ love for the people God had created, He went to the cross to make us acceptable (sinless) before His Father. When we love someone, we attempt to tolerate their unkind thoughts and their bad behavior.

 

Love never fails.

The Love of God is eternal. Even when we mess up, He is there waiting for us to seek forgiveness of our wrongdoing and then guidance to make things right with those we have hurt.

 

prophecies. . . will cease

As a teenager, I heard some ‘profound’ prophecies that never came to pass. We have heard some prophecies in the recent past that also have not happened. God is in control.

 

 tongues. . . will cease

When we all learn to love as Jesus did, we will be able to live our lives without hearing “wagging tongues”, we will be so busy praising God and doing new tasks He will assign us.

 

 knowledge. . . will vanish away We know procedures of certain activities we do to get through our jobs, through our daily chores, through raising our children. As technology has changed those procedures, those new ways may also be done away with when Christ comes again.

 

 

Be Merciful

 

Servants of Grace

 

But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:32-36 (NKJV)

 

This passage has good guidance in it. Jesus tells us to “love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return”. If we follow this command, we will be loving those around us as Jesus loved.

 

And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?

In our Christian walk we will see people who need help but cannot repay us for what we do to help them. According to these words of Jesus, we need to help them anyway.

 

if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?

Sometimes, it is difficult for a person to find a way to repay a loan, it may be such that it would be a double hardship for them to repay.

 

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return;

These are words of Jesus telling us these things. Even when we love someone with Christ’s love, that does not mean that they love us in the same way. When we do good, Jesus sees that in us. Jesus makes it clear here that we should not expect anything in return for the goodness we do.

 

and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High

Our reward will come from Jesus.

 

“For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”

When we obey this command we display a certain type of love—mercy. As we do these things to those who do not respond thankfully, we show His mercy. “For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”

 

“Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

 

When we show mercy to someone, we are reflecting Jesus and His love to that person and to those around us as well as those who might hear of our action.

 

God Is Love

 

God Is Love

 

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:8-11(NKJV)

 

God personifies love. When a believer thinks of love, he or she looks to Him. In looking to the LORD God, we learn that love is THE main attribute He has.

 

In dealing with others, we must remember that about God. He loves us even when we are unlovely. My best friend was teaching a class of children on the love of God. She named some people who had done some terrible unlawful acts to others. As she named them, she asked, “Does God love that person?” The answer in each instance was, “Yes!”

 

God loves the vilest criminal as much as He loves you and me. We wonder how that is possible. God loves everyone because He made them, the murderer, the thief, the insurrectionist, the thieves, and the ones who violate others.

 

Celebrate Jesus

I first heard this praise and worship song during a youth-led service several years ago.  I love its upbeat tempo as well as its message. I hope you like this song as much as I do.

Serving God in Small Ways

 

               

Pinterest

 

Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. Psalm 143:1 (NIV)

 

It happened on a Friday morning. My best friend called to share a prayer request with me. Her son-in-law had a difficult night. He is a cancer survivor.

 

Her daughter wanted us to pray. I prayed for them right then. My friend and I talked some more. I started to say something but found myself verbally praying again. The next day, I found out that the doctor gave them an answer for his pain and a prescription for that pain.

 

My prayer list is lengthy and grows throughout each month. We had taken a trip that week down to where my husband grew up and where our son lives. We saw Hubby’s best friend and his wife. In conversing with our friend, we learned of two other families who are going through difficult circumstances. After we got back home, we received a call from someone from down there whose wife is seriously ill and has been for a few years.

 

As I sit on my porch and type this essay. A car pulls into the driveway next door. A young man goes to the door and the new neighbor comes out. He assists her to the car, and she gets in. Her husband returns home. I heard her say she had a doctor's appointment. I met her almost a week earlier and she shared with me her physical condition. I have been praying for her when I can.

 

That week was a learning experience for me. The acts of service to the LORD can be as simple as saying a prayer, giving assistance to someone who needs it, or saying a kind word to someone who might need it. Smiling at someone who seems down.

 

All I can do for these people is pray. This might seem a small way for God to be served but He hears and answers the prayers of His people.       

Let Us Remember!

We should NEVER forget those who gave their lives for our freedom.

Sometime today, stop and say a prayer of thanksgiving for them and for their families that also gave up a lot in order for us to have the freedom we enjoy.

 

God Sees Me- Moses -2

 

                                           

Shutterstock

                So, now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out if Egypt.                                                                                    Exodus 3:10 (NIV)

 

Moses was in a field in Midian, tending the flock of his father-in-law. He sees something that catches his attention. A bush had caught fire but was not burn up. As he approaches this bush, he hears a voice calling from within the bush.

 

The voice is God’s voice. God tells Moses that He has seen the suffering of His people in Egypt and that it is time for Him to rescue the Hebrew people and He tasks Moses with convincing Pharaoh to allow the people to leave.

 

God continues to speak of the fact that Pharaoh will not let them go. He tells Moses that He will perform “wonders” that will get Pharaoh’s attention.

 

God saw the plight of the Hebrew people, His people, as they slaved for the Egyptians.

 

Does He not see us as we endure certain hardships? I believe He does.

 

Book Review: The Beauty of an Uncluttered Soul

 

Written by Carla Gasser, Illustrated by Vivian Kammel

 

Carla Gasser has done outstanding work on this book. She guides the reader through a devotional study of the Fruit of the Spirit. She does this by making this more than a devotional; she makes this book a Bible study as well.

 

Ms. Gasser draws on several scriptures for each Fruit of the Spirit. She also cites several other author’s works to bring the reader to a better understanding.

Vivian Kammel has created a masterpiece on almost every page of the book. She used watercolor illustrations of florals. At one point she placed succulents on the pages. On another, she painted peaches.

 

I would recommend this to anyone who is serious about their walk with God. I believe it could be studied in a group study as well as an individual study. Ms. Gasser suggests this be a nine-week study. She has given us a lot to digest about each quality we call the Fruit.

 

This book is available online at Amazon.com in the hardback and Kindle forms.

            (Click on the ‘look inside’ link to see the beauty of the illustrator’s work.)

 

It is also available at Christianbook.com in hardback and eBook forms.

Some Thoughts on Christmas

 

This Christmas season has been different for all of us. People being advised not to congregate in large crowds or celebrations. However, we must remember that the first Christmas was observed by a few people, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds.

We still send Christmas cards to some friends in southern Indiana. The picture above is an ornament that came in one of those cards. The lady that sent it to us is Jim's best friend's sister. She has had a rough couple of years, healthwise.  She made this from scratch. She has the dove so that one can turn it over and see another dove. I love the poem. I am unsure where she found it. I love the message.

Merry Christmas to each of you and to your families.